Thanks for the info! The Keystone program sounds perfect.
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Thanks for the info! The Keystone program sounds perfect.
Have fun Jess!!!!
We tried XC late last winter and were immediately hooked! (I'd been wanting to go for a long time, but DBF wasn't totally on board with the idea at first.)
I am middle-aged, fairly active-but not a 'natural' athlete. Group lessons (where I'm typically one of the oldest students and not as quick to catch on as the others) aren't my best learning environment.
Less than a week after taking a group lesson, he asked, "So are we ordering ski packages - or what?!" Unfortunately there was a problem getting the right size boots for me and it only snowed once after we got them.
In the past few weeks I've been out 3 times and it's starting to feel more comfortable. We live next to conservation land and can make our own trails to some extent, but hopefully I can improve my skills with a private lesson somewhere nearby to kick things up a notch.
Had the day off from work yesterday so I headed up to the local nordic center for some skiing. It was a little on the cold side and windy..(my water bottle started to freeze) It was so nice out on the trails because I pretty much had them to myself. I only saw maybe 6 other people the whole time I was out. I manged to get in about 10 miles which felt great. Hope to get out over this weekend too. This time maybe hit the backcountry for some touring. Ahhhh to many choices;) I love Colorado!!
Kubla, I don't think there are any x country centers in SE MA. You could try the Weston Ski Track, which would be the closest for you, for a private lesson. It's not that pretty (a golf course overlooking the highway), but it's good for learning. It's right near the intersection of 128 and the Pike. Great Brook Farm in Carlisle would be prettier, but further away. They have lessons, too.
I think you will find that this is a sport that is done by many older people. You can ski at any speed you want and find terrain that suits your needs. I skied for about 12 years on beginner trails, until 1) I got better skis with metal edges and 2) I found friends that were willing to coax me up and down the hills. It didn't take me very long to "get" it. Of course, taking up cycling in the interim helped more than anything else.
Crankin,
We went to the Weston Ski Track for our group lesson last year. On a second outing, we rented snowshoes and hiked around the grounds. I fell a LOT the first time we used the groomed trails and was uneasy with people whizzing by in all directions.
A confident woman in her 60s made it look so easy; I envied her skill level. She laughed and said I'd be zipping along in no time.
This year I have already noticed a big difference while skiing around our neighborhood; maybe it is the powder snow instead of the icier surface at the ski resort that helped me stay on my feet?
On another note: does anyone know if replacement parts are available for bindings? One of the rubber accordion-like pieces on a binding has disappeared already. The mechanism still works; not sure what its function is.
It's not as if the skis were handled or stored roughly. Seems they shouldn't be breaking already...is this normal?
I used to fall a lot, too. A couple of things helped. One, was getting shorter skis, with even better edges, and two, was just practicing and skiing under a lot of different conditions. One day it just clicked. Falling never bothered me, but it was embarrassing at times. I remember rolling around in the snow, trying to get myself up from a fall at Weston, when I took a "refresher" class with AMC about 7 years ago. And yes, the conditions make a huge difference. We *have* had more powder this year so far, so get out there!
Your skis shouldn't be breaking after this amount of time, but it does happen. If you got them at REI, they fix them pronto.
Another glorious morning at Windblown today. We didn't have a lot of time, so we got there by 9:45. They were having an orienteering event and I thought it would be mobbed, but it wasn't. It was busy, but again, once you are out on the trails, the people disperse quickly. My DH is recovering from bronchitis and hasn't skied since our New Year's weekend in NH, so we took it a little easy, since he's still coughing. We skied about 9.5K, doing some good climbing at first, some downhills, and ending with a couple of long flats. The conditions were awesome, packed powder, but very fast. There was ice clinging to the tree branches, glistening in the sunlight. This is why I love New England. Yesterday, I snow shoed on my neighborhood trails/conservation land for about an hour... should have brought the poles this time. It was tough getting up the big climb in deep snow.
More snow coming on Wednesday!
I went out for about an hour today. The additional snow we got yesterday seems to be too deep for my BC 65 (Rossignol) skis. (We chose that model so we could use grooved tracks or venture out on our own.) I got around ok, but it was more of a compromised shuffle than a glide today. It was easier in the woods where the snow wasn't as deep.
DBF still owes me a Christmas gift, so I may be getting a wider pair for deep snow eventually...caught him researching ski equipment online when I got home.
That missing rubber 'accordian' piece apparently keeps the binding from collecting snow and ice and prevents the release mechanism from jamming. Which is exactly what happened. It wasn't a problem last week, but with the additional 6 inches of powder from yesterday, it filled up. I had to ski home and take my foot out of the boot because the binding wasn't going to release the boot until it thawed.
We bought everything at Onion River Sports online. I Emailed them Monday and got no response when I asked if I could get a replacement part. Not too surprised; couldn't reach them by phone but will try again.
So it was perfect conditions out my way. The snow was still dry with little moisture so nice and powdery. A temperature of 24 F. The kind of snow where your glide is long and effortless and you can trot up the hills without a herringbone because all is perfect; wax and excellent grip at the kicker, and no ice. I usually wait until later in the afternoon to ski because it is typically the fastest then and there are fewer encounters with people. Sometimes I end up coming out as the sun is setting or dusk and wonder that after 33 years I haven't become a pre-nocturnal dinner for coyote. I'm kidding, sort of. .. But it's all worth it. So just when I thought it couldn't get any better than this today...it did. The groomers came through about 3:15 pm.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ghv7T6ztD3g/TT...0/DSC02182.JPG
I haven't been so excited to see machines in the woods in a long time. My heart was warmed when I saw them and I just couldn't stop smiling.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ghv7T6ztD3g/TT...0/DSC02185.JPG
I was ready to wrap it up but until I saw the groomers I couldn't resist. I stayed out later and followed in the wake of their path and it was pure bliss. Pure unadulterated fresh groom was ALL mine. Few were left in the park at that time.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ghv7T6ztD3g/TT...0/DSC02187.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ghv7T6ztD3g/TT...0/DSC02189.JPG
All mine free and clear for as much skating as I wanted. Talk about chi.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ghv7T6ztD3g/TT...0/DSC02191.JPG
What nice-looking trails! Sounds like you had a day that will always be remembered.
Too bad we can't put those special outings in a bottle and save them to be savored over and over...
That looks like perfection mudmucker. Glad you had such a great day!
Is that by any chance Wendell State Forest? I was thinking of heading out there today(sunday). I have only mountain biked there.
I have been skiing locally @ Fairhaven Bay behind Walden Pond. The conditions are pristine, single tracks through the woods. Last week a barred owl swooped over head as I glided over the silent snow.
I went to Great Brook today for the first time this season. Despite the huge crowd, once you got into the trail system, it didn't feel too crowded. Except when I started and got stuck behind a group of skiers who were on an outing and getting instruction. I finally got to pass them after I crossed the road, necessitating me to take off and put my skis back on. I could hear them crossing behind me, but there was a little climb and a downhill, so I lost them.
But, I felt discombobulated today! I didn't fall, climbing and descending were fine, but I just felt wobbly on the flats and I was going slowly. Some of it was I think I was just a bit "on guard" with all of the skaters whizzing by me and the newbies falling, kids, etc. The conditions were still powdery, but slick. When I got to the ridge it was nice and quiet there. Lots of cyclists there today, too. One older guy (well, he's probably my age), made a comment about my "two water bottles" in my pack. I told him and the woman he was with that I sweat and drink a lot. When I got back to the center, I was putting on my regular boots when they sat down next to me. He started yacking about how was a cyclist and he had this special drink in his bottle... I realized he had been on one of our rides awhile back, but I just said that he looked familiar. He went on for like 15 minutes about people we know in common.
I skied about 10K and I am pretty tired.
That was Dennison. It's only 3 miles fom the house and I'll go there if I'm short on time as I was yesterday. Great conditions as it is well maintained but it is a state forest that can get a lot of snowmobile traffic if you go at the wrong time. I don't mind encountering snowmobiles at all as they are very considerate but I do mind the fumes if the air is still.Quote:
Originally Posted by windhorse
I ended up going to Wendall today but I didn't get there until 2pm. I rarely use the main access - I go to other less used access points. If you've mt biked there you likely know of them. Today I noticed that some of the trails were a little slick, depending where in the park you were skiing. The northeast side trails were good. I meandered over to the west side to parttake in the wood stove and noticed the western trails were a bit icy, but then I was there late too.
I skied Saturday at Prospect Mt. near Bennington Vt. It was great snow and good trails. A group of us did the Moonlight ski that they have once a month. You get a dinner in the lodge, then ski ~2 km to a pond where they have a bonfire. A guy does a visual dance swinging firepots while shirtless in 5 degree weather. We were supposed to be skiing by moonlight, but the moon hadn't risen yet, so most of us used headlamps. Did a lovely but not hard snowshoe hike today.
Just got back from another great day at Northfield Mountain. It was 30 when we started and went up to about 35. We did the same climb up to the top of the mountain, which felt long, but getting to the top was awesome. This time, we didn't eat at the top, though, and skied right down the blue trails. It didn't feel hard or scary at all.
After lunch, the 4 of us went up a green trail we had skied down previously, but then switched to a blue trail we had no idea about, as far as if it was a climb or a descent. It was probably the longest climb I've done on skis. Not super steep, but bad enough that I was saying "I am going to die," about half way through. Once I stop, like for lunch, I find it is a lot harder for me when I go back on the trail. But, we were finally rewarded with the long downhill on the green trail, where I got in a tuck position and sped down really fast. I kept hearing the voice of the guy on my winter training core video, saying " If you do this, you'll be able to stay in the tuck position for a longer time, on the bike." I have to say, my legs were screaming, but all the core work has helped.
A total of 9 miles. I am going to have ribs and beer tonight!
Next weekend we are going to Franconia for 3 days.
I have about 18,000 acres of either state forest or WMA within 6 miles of my house. About 2000 of those have access about a quarter mile from my house. This doesn't even include Wendell SF or the Quabbin, which is 25 minutes from me. First thing I do when I move to a new place is get myself a map and compass and head out to the woods, or explore by mt. bike. I've lived here for 7 years and have done a lot of exploring and am familiar with a lot of these places.
But today I went to an area to ski that I hadn't thought of which slipped off the radar years ago. You can connect to parts that I do know from it. I have to say after all these years I actually was in an area I had never been. I didn't recognize a thing, not a landform, nothing. It was great. It was so wonderful to not know where I was, to have this woodland experience be so fresh and new and full of antipation. I kept wanting to go further to discover what was around the bend, to see if it did finally connect to something I recognized. It never did. It was a larger area than expected. It was getting near 4pm and because I was unfamiliar with the area, wanted to get back to the car before dark. Nor did I have a topo map and it was cloudy with no sun. There were all sorts of diversions and offset paths heading to different areas. I wanted to explore all of them and see where they went. There were so many I'm not even sure I'd be able to explore them all with what winter is left. I'll have to come out on the mt bike to be able to cover greater area. But then it started to snow and there was one trail that was just too darn inviting. It went through a grove of white and red pines so you felt you were going through a tall cathedral forest. Likely a pine plantation of an old management practice that was once commonly used to quickly reforest abandoned deforested land. You see them a lot around here. The snow was falling softly. All was quiet. It was cleared. A snowmobile had gone through once but it looked like it had been few days ago. A thin veneer of snow was laid over the snowmobile tracks making for perfect snow conditions. So I shuffled through the pines, just me and the quiet. The snow and ski in such harmony that the uninterrupted kick and glide gave a zen like quality. I was in a zone. The fresh cool air, flakes falling so slowly and peacefully. It was heavenly, a perfect feeding for the soul.
Never know what fresh experiences lie ahead in the day when you wake up.
I learned today - we spent about 5 hours at Eldora between the lesson and the trails we went on. It was much easier than I was expecting, though I don't think I weighed enough for the ridiculously long skis I had. Hard to get the part beneath my feet to ever touch the ground, so going up hills was stupid slow sometimes. Next time I want to learn skate skiing.
We got ~8" of snow on Thursday, so DH and I finally got to try out our new skis! Rossi BC65s for me and BC70s for him. I am pleased to report that we chose well for our conditions- they're beefy enough for breaking trail without being overwhelming for our typical snow amounts, short enough to turn easily, and metal edges really do help when it turns icy.
Hooray! :D
Cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by mudmucker
Ooo. Went skiing today in our local woods, after shuffling my feet for two weeks. It was excellent. Brilliantly groomed, even though the base is a bit hard and icy. I have new skis. Ooo. My 13 year old son is now an efficient and strong skate skier, almost as good as my dh, but I can report that I can still double-pole the h*ll out of both of them. ;)
This afternoon DBF and I took our skis and explored the conservation land behind my house. It was his first outing this year-and my fourth.
Our skis (Rossignol BC 65s) don't do well in in deep snow, but we were lucky enough to find some trails that had been packed down by snowmobiles, so it worked out ok.
We've been looking for backcountry skis that would handle the deep snow more efficiently. Does anyone have experience with the Rossignol BC 90, Alpina Lite Terrain or Madshus Epoch? We don't need anything too aggressive for steep downhill. We'll stick to trails and fairly gentle slopes.
Whaaaaa...I didn't get to go out this weekend. I had a bad cold all week and by Friday just as I was starting to feel better I ended up with the stomach flu:( Oh well, There is always next weekend. Hope everyone Had a fun time. LPH way to go!!:D
I just saw this. Funny, I've been looking at the same 3 skis over the last 2 weeks. I don't have any personal experience but I've been doing some research and can offer some thoughts. Can see if it matches yours. I think our terrain and goals are similar...100% off trail use on rolling topography. No wilderness. No long gladed descents. No mountain type environment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubla
I too have a pair of older backcountry skis that have tip and waist similar to your Rossi 65s. I don't seem to want to do as much distance with those skis. And I'd like to better be able to carve out a couple of lazy turns in deeper snow if I want.
I'm looking for more float. Don't want anything too heavy.
I'm leaning towards the Epochs.
I have not seen any of these in person yet. I've called a couple of places to talk with the reps but I hope to go to a shop this weekend. The Alpinas have great float but appear to be more "telemarky" and I don't really have any extended long terrain that would warrant them. They are probably heavy because of it and I think there would be too much comprise of kick and glide.
The Rossi 90s on the other hand seem like they'd be lighter and have some control on the turns, and maybe better kick and glide on the level. But I'm wondering if the dimensions would actually offer that much more float over what I/we already have. Not sure if 26 mm extra of tip and 7 mm extra of waist would make that much of a difference with the deep snow that we have. Our snow usually has moisture and packs well but how comparable would it be? I'm thinking pretty similar.
So I'm leaning towards the Epochs. They have healthy dimension for float. A healthy sidecut for carving on a hill if you want that option. And I think still a fairly soft camber for quick responses for turning and navigating through tight trees for when I want to go through those areas. I have a lot of more open logging roads and access roads though that would probably be my predominant route but it's nice to have the extra option. You'd probably give up some kick and glide but I have fast skis if I want to do that. Can add skins I think if I want to climb something bigger. I don't mind slowing down for the remote and "no one's been through here yet or ever" experience that I'd like to get back to lately.
The verdict is still out for me. I hate to fork over all that money. I don't mind putting out for the skis. I already have an SNS system on my skis with a Salomon backcountry boot. I might be able to get away with that with the Rossi 90s but I probably would have to change out with the Epochs.
Let us know what you decide if you go forward with one of them.:)
All this snow is making me dizzy! I cannot wait to get out there. Hoping to go out tomorrow after the storm ends.
We are going up to Franconia Friday for the weekend. I will be skiing at some places I haven't been to before, and the inn we are staying at is ski out the door.
On Saturday I said that I think I like x country skiing better than riding. My friends thought I was kidding, but I am not. I think it's because I feel more confident and I actually like the descents. I feel like I have more control descending on skis than on my bike, where I am a wimp.
I am not giving up cycling, obviously, but I am very happy with all of the snow that is falling, and I am sick of everyone else complaining about it.
We just started cross country skiing, been out maybe 6 times. Is there a good source for learning stuff about it? There's quite a learning curve, and we just have cheap skis and even cheaper poles and sometimes my hands hurt. Maybe it's that death grip thing. I would like to know if I'm even using the right ski for the conditions. Not something I learned from growing up in Florida, that's for sure!
We are really new to this so we're learning as we go along. Since the winter is zipping along, it will have to be a crash course. Neither of us minds checking out product reviews and FAQ information. After one outing/lesson, we were hooked enough to want to get away from renting and dealing with the 'traffic' at a resort.Quote:
Originally Posted by mudmucker
But-like other sports we are involved with-(cycling, kayaking, etc.) it's hard to choose one set of equipment that will serve fairly well in multiple situations. We have touring bindings on our BC 65s (part of the package they came with) and touring boots. They do well on groomed/packed trails or a few inches of snow but flounder in the depth of white stuff we've been blessed with in the past couple weeks.
We'll probably skip over the backcountry bindings/boots option and go to a 3-pin setup with removable cables this time. Hopefully that strategy will serve us well in deeper snow and on hills. Our plans are similar to yours: trails in the woods, slogging through deeper snow and ungroomed trails in a state park or conservation land. No extreme or mountainous terrain. (At 57, I have no desire to fly down a mountain at warp speed. I do want to learn to navigate efficiently.) Turning and stopping would be handy skills... :)
John wanted to order the BC 70s, but I pointed out that they would not be different enough from what we have. I leaned toward the BC 90s at when the search began but-like you mentioned-they may not be aggressive enough. In retrospect (which is always 20/20), the 90s might have been a better choice for the first set of skis-although the 65s will still fit in a groomed track. We do like them.
I believe you can use either a backcountry or 3-pin system on the 90s, but think the Madshus Epochs require a 3-pin setup. Of course, this means another pair of boots, but it seems inevitable that we'll need another collection of equipment.
I don't know much about Alpinas yet, but the Madshus brand seems to be well-regarded. After what I've read (so far), the Epochs appeal most to me of the 3.
YES we have been blessed. And it's quality snow too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubla
I liken our xcountry skiing to corn on the cob in our parts. Sweet and delicious, but the season is so darn short it's over in the blink of an eye.
I'm thinking of the 3 pin setup as well because I know it'll give me the versatility and experience that I'm looking for. Which means more cash for another set of boots and binding. Cripes I already have 4 different pairs of skis for various kinds of skiing and conditions. It's like bike math. N+1= more better
Just let it be. It's all part of the New England spirit. We'll complain about too much snow. We'll complain about not enough snow. We'll complain that the snow isn't good enough. We'll complain that there's too much snow on the roads, snow banks are too high, too much shoveling. Too cold. Not cold enough. Then we'll start complaining that it's too hot, too much rain, too cloudy, too humid. Then we'll complain that it's getting too dark earlier. Rinse and repeat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
I've got alpina cross terrain bcs & 3 pin bindings. And really, I mostly just take myself into the woods or up the ridge nearby and play. They're my first cross country skis and bindings, and I figured that set up would be the most versatile since i probably will not ever drive myself to a track.
I've been pretty happy with them, but I'm not going to say I actually know what I'm doing :)
Yea, Mudmucker, I'm a native New Englander, so I understand the "complaining" psyche. But, I still am sick of it. I think it's more the reaction I get when I say I love the snow, for the very reason you stated... the season is so short here and I get to ski for about 5-8 weeks.
I guess I also have the perspective of someone who has lived in 2 other places where there was no winter. Believe me, endless summer does not solve all of one's problems, as most New Englanders believe.
All of this talk of back country skis is making me want to get some different skis! I ski at groomed areas, but sometimes I do go out in conservation land. While my skis have edges, they are pretty skinny and I don't find it that fun to ski in the woods. DH has the back country boots, but I still have the softer Rossignol ones, because when I tried the bc ones, my feet just got chopped up... serious blisters, cuts, and bloody feet. I really tried to make them work, but I took them back to REI.
This might start to be like cycling; how many pairs of skis can I have?
I hear you on the issue of constant weather complaints. I'd much rather live in New England, where each change of season has something interesting to offer. With no offense intended to other areas of the country-I wouldn't want to live where I'd have to worry about finding a 10 foot Burmese python, giant rat or alligator on my back step in the morning. Forget long periods of humidity, too. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
As a "late-blooming enthusiast", I'm realizing that having my own gear often blooms into a variety of equipment. Renting is a great option at first, but once on board with a sport, there is nothing like having your own "stuff" that works and fits correctly.
If someone had told me I'd ever need more than one bike, I wouldn't have been able to fathom the idea. But here I am with 4 (count 'em!)...and all are used during the season, depending on the ride.
I have one kayak for ocean paddling and another for flatwater. Like bicycles (and skis) the design dictates the best function; it's impossible to find one that does it all. Thankfully, I'm content with owning just one horse. (Not that I don't look wistfully at horses that have been placed in rescue due to the economy-and wish that I could save them all.)
As interests evolve, our goals often change-why not experience them to the max? Go get yourself some backcountry skis and enjoy...the end-of-season deals are pretty good right now!
I actually have boots & bindings for another 2 pairs of skis - one nnn boots & bindings, one nnn-bc boots & bindings... I'm somewhat waiting to find a great deal on some skis sufficiently different from my alpinas for them.
I do have a couple sets of sns-bc bindings that are new in box if anyone's interested. I'd bought them because they were labelled nnn-bc which was wrong.
BeccaB, we are new to this, too. I have found the Onion River Sports site to have quite a bit of information. Their videos help demystify the equipment.Quote:
Originally Posted by beccaB
But-like bicycling-first you need to have an idea what style of cross country skiing appeals to you (groomed tracks at a resort?, skate skiing?, backcountry?, etc.) then you can focus a more on the equipment needed for the chosen discipline: http://www.orscrosscountryskisdirect.com
www.backcountry.com has a live chat feature that might help with your questions, as does www.skinnyskis.com (I'm sure there are others.)
There are XC forums out there too; the ones I've found so far are www.wintertrekking.com and www.xcskiforum.com
Do you have a cross country ski area (or a downhill area with XC trails) around you? If you do, I'd recommend taking a lesson. I've always found lessons so much more helpful than videos or books. There's a lot of technique to even simple striding. The better your technique the more you'll enjoy the whole thing. You can also try out better equipment to see if that makes a difference for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by beccaB
I went out for a skate yesterday. It was one of the few days that I didn't have a time limit. So I decided to go to one of the warming huts on top of the mountain that I've never made it to on my skaters, although I have on the striding skis.
Well, I huffed and puffed and stopped and went all of the way up to the hut. It seemed like it took forever. The only other person I saw was one of the nurses from work. She and I took turns passing each other and then stopping to catch our breath. At one intersection, she turned off onto a different trail and I kept going. I was VERY tired by the time I got back to the lodge, but I'm so jazzed that I made it! Maybe next time I can do it without stopping so many times...
I just found (what seems to be) a pretty good online deal for a backcountry ski package at Akers Ski in Maine. Here's the catch: the skis will be pre-drilled, but the bindings will need to be installed by the buyer.
Does anyone know what is involved for installation of 3-pin bindings? Do they just snap into place-or is there a lot more to the task (glue, brute force, etc.)?
I plan to write to them, but they are closed on Sundays and it doesn't appear initially that installation is available at an additional cost.
3-pin bindings install with screws. If they come predrilled, it takes alot of the work (positioning and alignment) out of it. You need elmer's glue or slow-cure epoxy on the screws/in the holes to seal out water. You also may need a special posidrive phillips screwdriver. I did a set from scratch recently with a friend's help.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kubla
Well, I lost a weekend of skiing - I had dental surgery on Friday and the dentist said no exercise. Not that I feel like it since my jaw has ballooned out and I'm a little under the weather. Painkillers are working though. So I did a little armchair gardening and made my final order of seeds for my grow lights.
And on the brighter side, I did some armchair skiing as well. I decided on the Madshus Epochs and ordered them online last night. Earlier in the week I went to a shop to see them in person. They are much lighter than I thought they would be. They also had the Rossi90s as well. The Rossis were a lot wider than I expected. But here is my decision. The Rossis had a stiffer camber and actually seemed heavier than the Epochs. I felt although it seemed more of a Point A to Point B ski with the stiffer camber, it might have a little less float and maybe more difficult to initiate a telemark turn. I was also a bit skeptical of their deep snow capabilities. They didn't have the Alpina Lite Terrains to look at but I more or less removed that from my list. I felt the sidecut was too drastic and would get a little too squirrelly on the level kick and glide. That and my kick and glide would be more of a shuffle because of the flexy single camber. Shuffle = not too fun and more geared for up to destination, then more control downhill. The Epochs seemed just right. Light. They have something called single camber plus, which is probably camber and a half - meaning a little stiffer and some Point A to Point B kick and glide capabilities, yet the sidecut allows for easier initiation of telemark turns.
The next concern I had is that my current backcountry skis tend to submarine in the snow rather than flexing enough for the shovel to stay level or seek the surface of the snow for better travel through. The ski seems flexible enough to do this. Then, in weight I was nearer the high end of the shorter ski and was concerned that I would collapse the kick pocket and have too much drag. I went with the next longer ski because I am confident in my abilities and I would salvage more kick and glide.
I am pretty excited. I have 2000 acres to access within walking distance of my house where there are 1600 to 1800 foot hills I can break trail and bushwhack to, to get some height in which to carve out a few turns. Twenty years ago I spent a couple of seasons trying to telemark. It'll be fun to practice the telemark turns again and mix that up with some of the rolling terrain too. I wonder if I'll even remember how to do them. It'll be fun to get out there with my map and compass again (yes I am old fashioned and still use that over gps) and explore off trail areas. And at about a half hours distance I can try out some other small hills like Mt Grace and Watatic, or even the back side of Wachusett. All without having to travel far.
Well, I lost a weekend of skiing - I had dental surgery on Friday and the dentist said no exercise. Not that I feel like it since my jaw has ballooned out and I'm a little under the weather. Painkillers are working though. So I did a little armchair gardening and made my final order of seeds for my grow lights.
And on the brighter side, I did some armchair skiing as well. I decided on the Madshus Epochs and ordered them online last night. Earlier in the week I went to a shop to see them in person. They are much lighter than I thought they would be. They also had the Rossi90s as well. The Rossis were a lot wider than I expected. But here is my decision. The Rossis had a stiffer camber and actually seemed heavier than the Epochs. I felt although it seemed more of a Point A to Point B ski with the stiffer camber, it might have a little less float and maybe more difficult to initiate a telemark turn. I was also a bit skeptical of their deep snow capabilities. They didn't have the Alpina Lite Terrains to look at but I more or less removed that from my list. I felt the sidecut was too drastic and would get a little too squirrelly on the level kick and glide. That and my kick and glide would be more of a shuffle because of the flexy single camber. Shuffle = not too fun and more geared for up to destination, then more control downhill. The Epochs seemed just right. Light. They have something called single camber plus, which is probably camber and a half - meaning a little stiffer and some Point A to Point B kick and glide capabilities, yet the sidecut allows for easier initiation of telemark turns.
The next concern I had is that my current backcountry skis tend to submarine in the snow rather than flexing enough for the shovel to stay level or seek the surface of the snow for better travel through. The ski seems flexible enough to do this. Then, in weight I was nearer the high end of the shorter ski and was concerned that I would collapse the kick pocket and have too much drag. I went with the next longer ski because I am confident in my abilities and I would salvage more kick and glide.
I am pretty excited. I have 2000 acres to access within walking distance of my house where there are 1600 to 1800 foot hills I can break trail and bushwhack to, to get some height in which to carve out a few turns. Twenty years ago I spent a couple of seasons trying to telemark. It'll be fun to practice the telemark turns again and mix that up with some of the rolling terrain too. I wonder if I'll even remember how to do them. It'll be fun to get out there with my map and compass again (yes I am old fashioned and still use that over gps) and explore off trail areas. And at about a half hours distance I can try out some other small hills like Mt Grace and Watatic, or even the back side of Wachusett. All without having to travel far.
Hmm. Double posted somehow. Sorry about that.